"Money or your life!" exclaimed Nat, in dramatic accents.
"Why—why—I believe they're burglars!" cried Mr. Gales.
"The impudence of them!" almost shouted Mr. Hall. The next instant he sprang out of bed and advanced on Nat and Will with long strides. This was more than the boys had bargained for.
Seizing Nat, Mr. Hall, who proved much more muscular than his build indicated, fairly tossed the boy out of the window. Fortunately he fell on the soft grass and was only shaken up.
"Get out of here, you scoundrel!" exclaimed the athletic teacher, making a rush for Will.
"D-d-don't h-h-h-hurt me!" pleaded the bold burglar. "I-I-I-I we—"
As Mr. Hall grabbed him the black mask came off and the instructor, seeing the lad's face cried out:
"It's Will Slade!"
He was about to send the burglar flying after his companion, but this discovery stopped him. At the same instant, the hidden crowd, thinking it was about time to do the rescue act, had started forward.
"Keep back!" cried Nat. "It's a fizzle!" and he limped from under the window as fast as he could.